Justbec
Warrior
Global user (premium)
Registered: 06-2006
Location: Paradise Lost
Posts: 9048
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The Work of God
Disclaimer! This is just one point of view and one I found interesting. It is not meant to upset anyone of faith. 
THE WORK OF GOD
“Maybe we are hunting an angel here and we should stop! Maybe this is God’s Will!”
In the Bible, angels are a medium of God's power; they exist to execute God's will. Angels reveal themselves to individuals as well as to the whole nation, to announce events, either good or bad, affecting humans.
The angels of the Bible generally appear in the role of God's messengers to mankind. The word Angel comes from the Latin word angelus, which came from the Greek word, angelos, meaning “messenger”. They are His instruments by whom He communicates His will to men, and in Jacob's vision they are depicted as ascending and descending the ladder which stretches from earth to heaven.
The number of angels is enormous. The general conception is the one of Job, “Is there any number of his armies?” The Book of Revelations, gives the number as, "a thousand thousands, and many tens of thousands".
“A lot of scriptures paint angels as God’s warriors. ‘An angel of the lord appeared to them, glory of the lord shown down upon them. And they were terrified.’ Luke 2:9.”
Angels are portrayed as powerful and dreadful, endowed with wisdom and with knowledge of all earthly events, correct in their judgment, holy, but not infallible: they strive against each other, and God has to make peace between them. When their duties are not punitive, angels are beneficent to man.
It is the Fathers’ belief that it is the angels who put into execution God’s law regarding the physical world. Many Old Testament Bible chapters mention an "angry God" who sends His angel to smite the enemies of the Israelites.
In Islam, angels are benevolent beings created from light and do not possess free will. They are completely devoted to the worship of God and carry out certain functions on His command. As such, angels do not eat, procreate or commit sin as humans do. According to the majority of Islamic scholars, angels are incapable of committing sin, and therefore cannot fall from grace.
The distinction of good and bad angels constantly appears in the Bible, but it is instructive to note that there is no sign of any dualism or conflict between two equal principles, one good and the other evil. These evil angels are often referred to as “fallen angels,” angels who had been exiled or banished from Heaven. Often such banishment is a punishment for disobeying or rebelling against God.
AN ANGELIC APPEARANCE
In the Hebrew Bible, angels often appear to people in the shape of humans of extraordinary beauty, and often are not immediately recognized as angels. Some fly through the air, some become invisible, sacrifices touched by some are consumed by fire, and some may disappear in sacrificial fire.
They are described as pure and bright as Heaven; consequently, they are said to be formed of fire, and encompassed by light, as the Psalmist said, "He makes winds His messengers, burning fire His ministers."
Although most theologians in the cultures mentioned above would agree that angels are technically genderless. In modern Western culture, some angels are depicted as having female figures, facial features and names, and many New Age practitioners speak of masculine and feminine angels, however in the older traditions, angels had a distinctly masculine tone.
Angels bear drawn swords or other destroying weapons in their hands—one carries an ink-horn by his side—and ride on horses.
Such appearances of angels generally last only so long as the delivery of their message requires, but frequently their mission is prolonged, and they are represented as the constituted guardians of the nations at some particular crisis.
ANGEL OF DEATH
One of the universally feared angels, known and dreaded in every major religion of the world; the angel of death is found all over the earth, throughout all of history, existing as the spiritual embodiment of the great mystery of passing into the next world.
He is the appointed servant of God, with the task of bringing an end-at the appointed time-to the lives of humans.
Perhaps the most vivid of his incarnations was as a horror-inducing angel of fell visage who stands at the head of a dying person with his sword drawn, its tip over the mouth of the poor soul struggling to cling to life. A drop of poison falls from the tip into the mouth of the gasping human, whose struggle in this world is then at an end.
ANGELS OF DESTRUCTION
Remember the angels in the film ‘Dogma’ portrayed by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck? Well, those are angels of destruction.
A fearsome type of angel appearing regularly in Jewish writings, the angels of destruction serve two functions. The first is to descend to the earth and inflict terrible suffering upon those among the living who are wicked and in need of punishment. The second is to inflict even worse punishment upon damned souls in hell; in latter roles they act as purifiers.
Over the years there has been question among scholars as to whether the angels of destruction are exceedingly holy or whether they are evil or even whether they are permitted to inflict destruction at the express will of God. Whether they are good or evil, these angels have accomplished some truly epic feats of vengeance or annihilation.
In the forms of avenging angels, they appear regularly in the Old Testament: two angels destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, an angel massacred 70,000 people to punish the pride of King David.
ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
“The archangel Michael, with the flaming sword, the fighter of demons. Holy force against evil.”
The Catholic Church honors Michael with four main titles or offices. He is the Christian angel of death, carrying the souls of all the deceased to heaven, where they are weighed in his perfectly balanced scales (hence Michael is often depicted holding scales). At the hour of death, Michael descends and gives each soul the chance to redeem itself before passing, thus consternating the devil and his minions. Michael is the special patron of the Chosen People in the Old Testament and is guardian of the Church; it was thus not unusual for the angel to be revered by the military orders of knights during the Middle Ages. Last, he is the supreme enemy of Satan and the fallen angels.
Prayer to Saint Michael from the “Moto Propio” of Pope Leo XIII, September 25, 1888:
O Glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Fight this day the battle of the LORD, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or satan, who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of GOD and of His CHRIST, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity. These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered. Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of GOD, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee Holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has GOD entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the GOD of peace that He may put satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the LORD; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen. V. Behold the Cross of the LORD; be scattered ye hostile powers. R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered, the root of David. V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O LORD. R. As we have hoped in Thee. V. O LORD, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto Thee. Let us pray. O God, the Father of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, we call upon Thy Holy Name and as suppliants we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.
DEADLY SINS
Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule or the state of having committed such a violation. In monotheistic religions, the code of conduct is determined by God. Colloquially, sin is any thought, word, or act considered immoral, shameful, harmful, or alienative might be termed "sinful".
The "Seven Deadly Sins", also known as the "Capital Vices" or "Cardinal Sins", are a classification of vices that were originally used in early Christian teachings to educate and instruct followers concerning (immoral) fallen man's tendency to sin. The Roman Catholic Church divided sin into two principal categories: "venial", which are relatively minor, and could be forgiven through any sacrament of the Church, and the more severe "capital" or "mortal" sins, which, when committed, destroyed the life of grace, and created the threat of eternal damnation unless either absolved through the sacrament of confession, or otherwise forgiven through perfect contrition on the part of the penitent.
The seven deadly sins are:
1. Lust
2. Gluttony
3. Greed
4. Laziness
5. Anger
6. Envy
7. Pride
REDEMPTION
“Those innocent people are being offered redemption. Some people need redemption.”
A concept referring to forgiveness for absolution for past sins and protection from eternal damnation.
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